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Definition
| The fifth epoch of the Cenozoic era, dating from 5.3 million to 2.6 million years ago. |
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Definition
| The sixth epoch of the Cenozoic era, dating from 2.6 million to 10,000 years ago. |
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Definition
| A measurement of the interior volume of the brain case measured in cubic centimeters (cc) and used as an appoximate estimate of brain size. |
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Term
| Sahelanthropus tchadensis |
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Definition
| An early possible hominin species from Africa, dating between 6 million and 7 million years ago, that has a number of hominin dental traits and may have been bipedal. |
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Definition
| The large opening at the base of the skull where the spinal cord enters. This opening is located more toward the center of the skull in hominins, who are bipeds, so that the skull sits atop the spine. |
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Definition
| An early, primitive hominin species from Africa, dating to the Late Miocene (6 Ma.) |
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Definition
| An early primitive hominin species from Africa, dating between 5.8 million and 4.4 million years ago. |
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Definition
| An early primitive hominin from Africa with very ape-like teeth, dating between 5.8 million and 5.2 million years ago. |
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Definition
| A genus of fossil hominin that lived between 4.2 million and 1.8 million years ago and is characterized by bipedal locomotion, small brain size, large face, and large teeth. |
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Term
| Australopithecus anamensis |
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Definition
| A hominin species that lived in East Africa between 4.2 million and 3.9 million years ago. It was a biped but had many primitive apelike features of the skull and teeth. |
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Term
| Australopithecus afarensis |
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Definition
| A hominin found in East Africa, dating between 3.7 million and 3.0 million years ago. |
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Term
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Definition
| A genus of fossil hominin that lived in Africa from 2.5 to 1.4 million years ago, at which time it became extinct. They differ from Australopithecus by having even larger back teeth, and robust jaws, cheekbones, and faces, all adaptations to heavy chewing. |
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Term
| Australopithecus africanus |
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Definition
| A species of early hominin, dating between 3.3 million and 2.5 million years ago and found in South Africa. It may have been an ancestor of the genus Homo. |
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Term
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Definition
| An early hominin dating to 2.5 million years ago in East Africa. It had large front and back teeth. |
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Term
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Definition
| A species of Australopithecus found in South Africa 2 million years ago, that has a number of characteristics linking earlier hominins and Homo. |
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Definition
| The cheekbone, formed by the connection of the zygomatic and temporal bones on the side of the skull. |
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Definition
| A ridge of bone running down the center of the top of the skull that serves to anchor chewing muscles. |
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Definition
| The oldest species of Paranthropus, dating to 2.5 million years ago in East Africa. It combines derived features seen in other species of Paranthropus with primitive features found in An. afarensis. |
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Term
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Definition
| A species of Paranthropus, dating between roughly 2 million and 1.4 million years ago and found in South Africa. |
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Term
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Definition
| A very robust species of Paranthropus, dating between 2.4 million and 1.4 million years ago and found in East Africa. |
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